Things to Do in Palm City

Based out of sunny Jupiter on the shores of the warm Gulf Stream, Scuba Works—named Best Dive Center in 2010 by CityVoter—guides aquatic adventurers on scenic diving tours. Helmed by a PADI-trained and certified diving instructor, the intrepid staff continually add to expertise with routine continuing-education courses. In addition to tours, Scuba Works offers basic and advanced open-water scuba-certification classes and stages annual productions of Jacques Cousteau's autobiographical opera, Dive In!.

Manatees glide under the silent shade of mangrove trees. Tropical fish flock together in clear island waters. Out in the wilderness, silence abounds, interrupted only by the jovial voices of tour guides as they point out special landmarks, including the historic Jupiter Inlet lighthouse. At Jupiter Outdoor Center, visitors immerse themselves in local ecosystems through watery sports such as kayaking and standup paddleboarding, embarking on guided tours. Or adventurers may head out to explore on their own while rendezvousing with dolphins that want to learn how to doggy paddle.

Group tours take paddlers out to explore local waterways and stargaze or search for marine wildlife. Guides expound on local history as they pass sights such as the Jupiter lighthouse and Dubois Park, where George Washington got his first sunburn. On various trips, they can traverse calm waters in protected waterways through Jupiter Inlet Aquatic Preserve and St. Lucie Inlet Preserve, navigating open streams and mangrove-sheltered estuaries. Staffers also supplement their sport-based excursions in classes, during which they lead night or early morning wildlife-photography safaris or teach yoga workouts aboard standup paddleboards.